By Banji Ayoola
The South West Zonal Coordinator of the Asiwaju Tinubu/Shettima Coalition for Good Governance (ATSCGG.), Ambassador Sola Iji, on Wednesday charged the newly inaugurated Ondo State Executive Committee of the coalition to shun distractions and work mainly for the election of the All Progressives Congress presidential candidate, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, and his running mate, Senator Kashim Shettima, as Nigeria’s next President and Vice President in the February 2023 election.
He spoke at the swearing-in of a 21 member state executive committee of the coalition in Akure the Ondo State capital.
The former envoy also asked the committee to carry along the 111 support groups that registered last week as part of the coalition in the state.
Speaking with reporters after the inauguration, Iji said he told the committee that: “Ours is to promote our basic objective, which is the election of Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu and his vice, Senator Kashim Shettima so that they can be elected as the president and vice president of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
“And we need also a full complement of those in the National Assembly, the senators and members of the House of Reps. We have a responsibility to ensure that we complement the party.
“The party cannot do it alone, and that is why you find all these support groups coming up. We expect that they would work with the party and the party’s candidates in the states.
“We must win our elections in the state, not only that of the president, but also we must win other elections into the National Assembly and the House of Assembly.
“It’s very important that we know that we are not antagonizing and the party should also see the efforts that would be made by the coalition as being complementary to the efforts of the party.”
He said: “I have informed them (state executive committee members) that they have to hit the ground running. We really have no time, and we have a lot of work to do, a lot of distance to cover because the assignment is enormous; it is not going to be a tea party. It is a lot of work that has to be accomplished; and I think they know what it means.
“I have also informed them that they have to replicate what we have done now at the local government level so that they have a full complement of those to carry out the assignment at the local government level. This is the charge and they have to work for the entire coalition.
“All the groups that are working for the realization of the basic objective must be carried along whether or not they are represented in the exco. The exco is representing all the groups.
“Last week, we had about 111 support groups that registered. They cannot all be in the exco; and these groups have shown understanding. It’s enough for the exco to appreciate that they are working for all.
“My charge to them also is that we are APC members. We are working for the candidate of APC. Our efforts are not to antagonize the party or the structure of the party or the party’s other candidates.”
Iji told the state coordinator and members of his executive to replicate the state structure at the local government level in the state’s 18 councils “so that those of us who are not privileged to be in this exco should know that at our own local government level, all the groups that are working should be able to come together.”
The support groups, which he said are expected to be working at their local government and ward levels, will be complemented by the coalition’s structures at those levels when formed.
On the feedbacks he had been getting from the coordinators since last week when the coalition took off formally in the state, he said: “People are happy. Some of the groups that were not here complained of not being invited. Some of them who are not in the exco are also complaining about why they were not members of the exco.
“But overall, people are interested that these groups need a sense of direction and a consolidation of what they are doing. We are happy that this has been done.
“Like I said, our National DG had complimented the efforts we have made so far. So we are happy about the development.”
On Nigerians who are still in doubt about the Tinubu/Shettima ticket, the ex-envoy said: “The point is that it’s a moving train and Tinubu is actually the change that our country has been waiting for. So all of us must come together to support this change because we need to change from the way we are doing things.
“And Tinubu is coming with the change. He took the change to Lagos. He is spreading it around and he wants the country to experience that change. So other Nigerians should sign up to support his election.”
On the muslim/muslim ticket of his party, he said: “I am not fanatic. I think if we look at the two of them, if you see the history of their performance in government, you will know that they are similar and they can deliver.
“They have achieved; they have delivered in their respective states; and I think there is no reason to disbelieve that they would not perform. Performance is what we need.”
Earlier, while addressing the gathering, Iji appreciated all the support groups for their encouraging attendance both at the inauguration of the state chapter of the coalition last week and Wednesday’s swearing-in of its state executive committee.
He told them that he spoke on Tuesday with the coalition’s Director General, a former Minister of Communications and an ex-Oyo State Attorney-General, Dr Adebayo Shittu, who he said was happy that the coalition’s Ondo State exco was set for inauguration.
In his words: “When I informed him that last week about 111 support groups signed the attendance register, he was highly elated; and he has more or less commanded me to start the launching of the coalition in other states, thinking that we can replicate what happens here in other Southwest states.
“It’s commendable and he is happy and he wants me to commend all the groups who are working for the attainment of our basic objective, which is to have our presidential candidate as the elected President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria come February 2023.
“Let me again thank all of you for making a success out of the inauguration of our coalition in Ondo State. Now the executive committee has been inaugurated; and I know that about 111 support groups came to register and we have an executive committee of about 21 members.
“That means there would be quite a number of groups who may not be represented in the executive committee. It is not to show lack of recognition. It’s our attempt to manage the number so that a smaller committee would be able to work for all of us.
“I am sure that both the coordinator and members of the exco are going to work for this coalition irrespective of their own groups that produced them in the first instance. They are going to work for all the groups.
“You can be sure that notwithstanding that we are not represented in the exco physically, the spirit is that we are all members of the exco. So, while congratulating them for this responsibility, I also want to thank you for your understanding.
“We expect them to perform. But largely we expect you to continue to support them because you know that the assignment is big because we expect that the harvest will also be big.
“As much as possible, let’s make sacrifice and we can be sure at the end of the day that we shall all be better for it. Once again, I want to congratulate the exco, congratulate all of us and wish us a very successful assignment in the state.
“Let me thank all of you for supporting this assignment. I think I have concluded the assignment here. When I come back again, I want to be able to know that the exco is working.”
In his acceptance speech, the State Coordinator of the coalition, who was a former member of the House of Representatives and a former commissioner for Agriculture in the state, Barrister Olanrewaju Kazeem, described the Tinubu/Shettima project as national.
He said he had taken special interest in Tinubu since their days together at the National Assembly and in Hope 93, the campaign platform of the presumed winner of the annulled 1993 presidential election, the late Chief Moshood Abiola.
To him, the fact that the APC presidential candidate has made a lot of people has eased the job of the committee.
The coordinator appealed to all the coalition members and groups “to join hands together with us and our highly revered South West Coordinator to ensure that we collectively deliver the South West with Ondo State coming tops during the February 2023 presidential election.”
Kazeem, later in an interview with reporters, vowed to mobilize the entire electorate of the state for Tinubu even as he said his committee’s assignment “is a serious one and we are not taking it lightly.”
On how he would do the mobilization, he said: “You can see the number of people here; and we have just been inaugurated.
“In a couple of weeks, you would see what is going to happen, particularly when INEC allows us to go out fully. Certainly Ondo State is for Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
“We were together in the National Assembly. When he was a senator, I was a member of the House of Representatives; and he did well. We were in Hope 93 together. Therefore, I am not just knowing him. I know he can perform, and a good number of people out there are ready for him.
“Ondo State is for him. He has done the job for us because of his own antecedents and what he has done in this country by empowering people, by doing good to everybody without knowing whether they are from North, West or South.”
In his welcome speech on behalf of the coalition’s South West Zonal Coordinator, the commissioner representing South West in the National Salary and Wages Commission, Onibudo ‘Wole Iroaye, described the event as epoch-making.
He said: “We have converged on this hall today to perform one of the most significant assignments in the checkered history of our coalition, ATSCGG., in Ondo State.
“Today’s event no doubt marks the beginning of good things that will happen to us as a unique political body in particular and as a great political party in general. In other words, we are on the threshold of a dazzling political venture. Therefore, let sincerity of purpose be our watch word.”
Iroaye said: “The Gentlemen and Ladies we are going to swear in at this august occasion are persons of proven integrity whose track records speak volumes. By this assertion, I’m not insinuating that they are more important or more qualified than the rest of us.
‘However, we have put this team together so that the coalition in Ondo State can start its expected political operations in earnest and hit the ground running.
“Ladies and gentlemen, this is precisely the bottom line that prompted the leadership of our coalition in the South-West to be here today to supervise this particular assignment.
“We are glad for this and we are also appreciative of the strategic decision that our amiable leader, His Excellency, Ambassador Sola Iji, has taken in this regard.”
While giving the vote of thanks, a member of the coalition’s state executive committee, Mr Segun Odidi, said that Ondo State has scored another first with the inauguration
His words: “ Today the history of our dear state is another milestone in the political history that among the states in the Southwest, Ondo State has scored the first today.
“We are the first state to inaugurate the executive committee of this noble coalition that would work towards the enthronement of Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu as the next President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
“Tinubu is an idea whose time has come. And when it’s time no one can stop it.
“On behalf of the executive council of Ondo State and our leader, the foremost leader of South West, I want to thank you profusely for honouring us at this moment.
“I can assure you on behalf of our leader, we would not disappoint you. Together we can; and together, we shall deliver; and together, APC would rule Nigeria again.”
Sworn in with Kazeem as the coalition’s State Coordinator were a former Speaker of the state’s House of Assembly, Rt Hon Ayo Agbomuserin as Deputy State Coordinator; Secretary, a former Director in the Federal Civil Service, Otunba Sylvester Ikuejawoye; Assistant Secretary, a former party council chairman, Hon Olakunle Eko; and Chairman, South Senatorial District, the Aare Atayese of Ikaleland, Dr Olusegun Ayodele.
Others were the Director of Finance, Prof Folorunso Davies; Publicity Secretary, Barrister Segun Odidi; Women Coordinator, High Chief Bola Eko Davies; Director Legal Services, a former National Legal Adviser of NBA, Barrister Bisi Ayeni; Director Youth Affairs, Hon Adejaye Adeyefa; Deputy Director, Women Affairs, Hon Mrs Florence Iwaye; Deputy Director, Youth Mobilisation, Hon Tunde Olayinka; Deputy Director, Legal Services, Barrister Abel Oni; Deputy Director of Organisation, Hon Olorunsola Olutosoye; Ex Officio, Central Senatorial District, Dr Femi Famakinwa; and Ex Officio, South Senatorial District, Comrade Japhet Iregha.
The Ex Officio North Senatorial District, Chief Mrs Grace Animola; and Senatorial Coordinator North, Hon Abiodun Ogunbi were said to be on their way
Barrister Olorunlegan performed the swearing-in.
South West Zonal Director General, ATSCGG., Ambassador Sola Iji, left; with his Aide, who is also the Commissioner representing South West in the National Salary and Wages Commission, Onibudo ‘Wole Iroaye, at the event
Members of the committee at their swearing-in
State Coordinator of the newly inaugurated Ondo State Executive Committee of ATSCGG., Barrister Olanrewaju Kazeem, standing; his deputy, Rt Hon Ayo Agbomuserin, left; Ambassador Iji; Onibudo Iroaye; and others
Iji,, with members of the committee at their swearing-in
Kazeem, middle; Agbomuserin, 2nd left and three of the committee’s members
Ambassador Iji in a group photograph with some members of the newly inaugurated State Executive Committee of the Coalition
Iji with some members of the new committee
Members of the Committee signing Oath of Allegiance
